The Galaxy Buds2 Pro are a strong pick for Samsung phone owners: SoundGuys measured 4 hours 50 minutes with ANC on and low-frequency cancellation, and reviewers praise the warm two-way sound. Battery life is middling, calls are uneven, and the best features need a Galaxy phone. Others should weigh Sony or Apple rivals first. Check the current price on Amazon.
— THE VERDICT · JUDGEANY EDITORSWhat the Buds2 Pro are
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Buds2 Pro (SM-R510) at its August 10, 2022 Unpacked event, alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4, with sales starting August 26, 2022. Per Samsung, each bud carries a custom coaxial two-way speaker, a 10mm woofer plus a 5.3mm tweeter, with Bluetooth 5.3, Samsung Seamless Codec HiFi for 24-bit audio on Galaxy devices, 360 Audio, Intelligent ANC with three high-SNR microphones per bud, and an IPX7 rating on the buds themselves. Each bud weighs 5.5 grams and the case 43.4 grams, and the case charges over USB-C or Qi wireless. Everything below comes from published reviews and owner reports. JudgeAny runs no lab and tested nothing here ourselves.
Sound: warm, detailed, and a little bass-forward
The two-way driver setup is the main reason these still get recommended. SamMobile called the sound the best it had heard yet on Samsung earbuds, praising loud, distortion-free output with strong bass intensity, and Digit, which credited AKG tuning, called them sonically brilliant and the best-sounding consumer earbuds it had tested in 2022. RTINGS' comparison data fits that picture: a warm signature with bass measured as very emphasized, around 5 dB, and balanced treble. The counter-evidence matters, though. Consumer Reports rated the sound only very good rather than excellent, describing bass as prominent and a touch boomy, mids as somewhat grainy and hazy, and treble as a bit smeared and sizzly. The fair read is warm and engaging rather than neutral, and the headline 24-bit mode only works with a Samsung Galaxy device; everyone else gets SBC or AAC.
Noise cancelling: genuinely strong, with one dissent
SoundGuys' lab work is the strongest published evidence here. Its original review found ANC topping out at nearly 50 dB of reduction at 50 Hz, and its later standardized comparisons put the Buds2 Pro at roughly 84% of outside noise blocked, ahead of the Buds3 Pro's 76% in the same tests. SamMobile's reviewer, testing on the London Underground, called the cancellation phenomenal and said Voice Detect switched to Ambient mode flawlessly when speaking. Trusted Reviews is the dissent worth naming: it found the ANC good rather than great, and judged Sony's WF-1000XM4 more reliable at cancelling. That split probably comes down to fit and seal, which change ANC more than any spec sheet admits, but on measured low-frequency reduction the Buds2 Pro hold up well.
Battery, calls, and fit: good enough, not great
Samsung rates the buds at 5 hours with ANC on and 8 hours with it off, with 18 hours and 29 hours respectively including the case. SoundGuys' standardized rundown, playing audio peaking at 75 dB(SPL) with ANC on, landed at 4 hours 50 minutes, close to the rating, while Digit measured 4 hours 32 minutes under its own conditions. Either way, a single charge covers a workday commute but not a long-haul flight without the case. Calls are the weaker link: SamMobile praised the improved mics and wind shield, but Trusted Reviews found the mics finicky outdoors, and Consumer Reports noted that incidental contact with the touch panels can pause or play music by accident. Fit is mostly a win at 5.5 grams per bud, with three tip sizes in the box, though Samsung's own owner summaries and Consumer Reports both note that the smooth, rounded body can be hard to grip and easy to drop while handling.
Who should buy them
Buy the Buds2 Pro if you own a Samsung phone: you get the full codec stack, 360 Audio, Auto Switch across Galaxy devices, and ANC that measured among the best of its generation. Skip them if you live on iPhone or non-Samsung Android, where you lose the 24-bit audio and the deeper ecosystem features, or if calls outdoors matter more to you than music. Two practical gaps to know before buying: SamMobile noted there is no auto-pause when you remove a bud, and the case itself carries no water-resistance rating even though the buds are IPX7. Notebookcheck, summarizing Amazon owner reviews, put the average at 4.5 out of 5 from over 9,000 global reviews, with comfort and isolation praised and a narrow soundstage the recurring complaint. Check the current price on Amazon.